Orange County Criminal Lawyer Blog

Laguna Niguel, Orange County - An Orange County man was arrested last week for several charges, including DUI, misdemeanor hit-and-run, drunk in public and vandalism.

The incident happened at the intersection of Crown Valley Parkway and Golden Lantern where after hitting another vehicle the suspect allegedly got out of the vehicle and began "acting out," according to authorities.

All charges the suspect faces have been filed as misdemeanors.

There is a perception that a misdemeanor isn't that big a thing, but, says Santa Ana criminal attorney Michael L. Guisti, misdemeanor charges like hit-and-run, DUI and vandalism go on your record and when potential employers run a background check these charges show up.

To the matter of hit-and-run, Guisti explains that misdemeanor hit-and-run is when you hit another vehicle or property causing damage and leave the scene without giving your information. Felony hit-and-run, Guisti goes on to say, is when you injury somebody and leave the scene.

In hit-and-run cases it's not unusual for it to later be charged as a felony when the apparent victim claims to be injured, says Guisti.

Now misdemeanor DUI is typically a first DUI offense, and even still despite it being a misdemeanor charge that can result in loss of your driver's license and very high court fees, says Guisti.

They're some defenses as to whether the suspect was really DUI at the time of his driving, because, Guisti explains, the alcohol is still going through the system and the suspect may not have really been DUI at the time of this incident.

The charge of drunk in public basically means when you're drunk to the point of being unable to care for your own safety or the safety of others and your drunkenness interferes with the free use of public ways, explains Guisti.

The charge of drunk in public can be defended on grounds that maybe you were in the care of friends and not a safety threat, says Guisti

Vandalism isn't just graffiti as this charge could be brought up even if you, for example, hit a wall or fence of a property that isn't yours and cause damage no matter how slight, explains Guisti.

What ever problems you're facing it's always very important to have a professional attorney by your side, and by calling the Orange County criminal defense attorneys at the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti we'll see to it you get the best possible outcome.

For over a decade the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti have won hundreds of criminal cases for our clients in the courts of Orange County, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego.

So please, call us now.

Tustin, Orange County - Tustin Police are looking for a group of people they believe are responsible for vandalizing a lighting system outside a store in Old Town Tustin causing about $700 worth of damage.

Police say witnesses reported hearing breaking sounds at about 1:45 a.m. Wednesday and one witness looked out the window and saw a group of about six people described in their 20s to early 30s near where the sounds were coming from.

What is interesting in a lot of cases is that prosecutors and the courts treat adults who allegedly committed vandalism more seriously than teenagers, says Santa Ana criminal attorney Michael L. Guisti.

Don't be mistaken, the courts are harsh on teenagers who allegedly commit vandalism, but when adults are accused of this crime prosecutors typically go for the more harsh punishment, such as charging it as a felony, since adults are suppose to know better, explains Guisti.

It's important to know the cost of the damage resulting from the vandalism can make all the difference whether you're charged with an infraction, misdemeanor or felony, says Guisti.

The threshold to where it could be charged as a felony is $400 or more, and if the damage is around that amount it's important to have a defense attorney who can examine and argue if the damage is really over $400, explains Guisti.

It's very important to understand if convicted of felony vandalism you could face up to three years in state prison, which is why, Guisti stresses, it's very important to retain a professional defense lawyer if there is the possibility your vandalism case could be charged as a felony.

If you've been charged with a vandalism crime in Westminster, Irvine, Fullerton, Santa Ana, Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach it's very important to contact our Orange County vandalism attorney at the Law Offices of Michael L. Guisti.

We have over a decade of winning cases for our clients and keeping them out of prison, so please, call us now.